Robert Scott Lauder (Scottish, 1803 - 1869)

Lauder was born in Edinburgh and was encouraged by David Scott to become a painter. He studied at the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh for two years from 1822. Lauder spent time in London and then five years in Italy. He returned to London and was best known for his subject pictures, often based on the works of Sir Walter Scott, but he never received the official recognition he sought. He returned to Edinburgh in 1852 as Director of the Trustees' Academy. Lauder was also a hugely influential teacher. His pupils included Orchardson, Pettie, McTaggart and Chalmers.

Trustees' Academy

The Trustees’ Academy was founded in Edinburgh in 1760 by the Board of Trustees for the Improvement of Fisheries and Manufactures in Scotland. This was the earliest publicly funded art school in Britain, but during the early years it was essentially an elementary drawing school dedicated to applied design. The students included practical craftsmen as well as fine artists. The school gradually developed more facilities for advanced fine art education, including a plaster cast collection. In 1826, it relocated to a new building on The Mound, which was erected by the Board. The Trustees’ Academy was reformed in 1858, using the well established government Schools of Design in London as its model, and was the direct ancestor of Edinburgh College of Art, established in 1907.